Sports FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

Benzema affair overshadows -Germany clash

PARIS: The sex tape blackmail affair this season and must try to keep the won the last of his 13 caps at Euro 2012 football has its own off-field issues just involving Mathieu Valbuena and which focus on the football for the games and he is having to get used to the sur- now with national federation chief has led to star striker Karim Benzema against the Germans and England at roundings at France’s Clairefontaine Wolfgang Niersbach stepping down being charged completely overshadows Wembley next Tuesday. Both Benzema base near once again. “Yesterday I amid claims of vote-buying in order to the build-up to France’s friendly with and Valbuena were left out of his squad, wanted to go to the toilets but I got secure the hosting of the 2006 World Germany today. The sides meet at the with Deschamps saying the latter’s lost,” he said this week. “A lot of things Cup. But at least that scandal should not Stade de France just under a month absence was due to his “psychological can happen between now and then but directly impact on coach Joachim Loew before the final draw takes place in Paris condition” while Benzema’s was fitness it is an objective to play a Euro at home. and a squad deprived of the injured for Euro 2016, a tournament in which related. It would be nuts.” Bayern ’s Mario Goetze and Marco Reus. both nations will be among the In the meantime, he will hope others Kingsley Coman, 19, may make his Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos and favorites. But Les Bleus’ prospects are can stake a claim for a place in the side. debut and Andre-Pierre Gignac has been Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil have both been left already being called into question, and Benzema is France’s outstanding centre- recalled to the surprise of many after out but Loew will select the strongest their current good form rendered practi- forward while little Lyon playmaker leaving Marseille in the summer for team available to him for Germany’s first cally irrelevant, by recent events. Valbuena recently won his 50th cap but, Mexican club Tigres of Monterrey. “It is match at the Stade de France since a 2-1 Benzema was last week charged with as his squad got together this week, proof that it wasn’t such a bad choice to friendly win in February 2013. That complicity to blackmail and conspiring Deschamps said: “I have selected 23 exile myself. Some people thought I was means Bayern’s Manuel Neuer should to commit a criminal act, charges that players. I have confidence in them. “The going there to live a golden retirement, start in goal, while striker Mario Gomez carry a prison sentence of at least five most important thing is the group and for the money. My performances show could start in attack after earning a years, in relation to a sex tape featuring their strength as a collective. On the that I wasn’t there on holiday, but to recall. “It can’t hurt to have a player like Valbuena. German side there are also players miss- work,” said Gignac. me when things aren’t going our way,” He was also banned from meeting ing and important ones too. “Everyone said Gomez, who is currently on loan at Valbuena, and potentially incriminating has to make themselves indispensable Gomez returns Besiktas in Turkey from Fiorentina and transcripts of telephone conversations but nobody is irreplaceable.” Among The game will be the first meeting of hopes to remain in contention when the involving the Real Madrid striker have those looking to impress will be Hatem the nations since a 1-0 Germany win in Germans return to France for the been widely reported in French media. Ben Arfa, who returns to the fold after an the World Cup quarter-final in the heat European Championship next year. “To France coach Didier Deschamps has outstanding start to this season at Nice. of the Maracana in July last year on their still be there next year, I will have to put overseen four successive friendly wins The former Newcastle United forward way to winning the trophy. German in a few good months.” — AFP Five enter FIFA’s presidency race Bility, Platini sidelined

ZURICH: FIFA has approved five candidates for its February presidential election amid the worst crisis in its history, after barring Liberia’s Musa Bility on integrity grounds and leaving out UEFA chief while he remains under sus- pension. Platini, the original favorite to succeed as head of global soccer’s governing body, was not admitted because he has been suspended for 90 days pending a full Ethics Committee investigation. FIFA had already announced that it would not process former French international football star while he was suspended, but could review its position if he wins an appeal against the ban. Buffeted by a series of scandals over the last few years, FIFA was thrown into turmoil in May by the US indictments of 14 football officials, includ- The combo of file photo shows (from left) Jordan’s Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, UEFA Secretary General Gianni Infantino, Tokyo Sexwale, ing two FIFA vice-presidents, and sports market- Jerome Champagne and Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. They are the five declared candidates that FIFA announced yesterday ing executives for alleged corruption. for the Feb 26 election, with Michel Platini a potential sixth man. — AP Blatter, also suspended for 90 days, is facing criminal investigation in Switzerland over a 2 mil- 2011 uprising in Bahrain when he was head of tions (FAs) who are affiliated with FIFA hold one Fahad Al-Sabah, one of the top powerbrokers in lion Swiss franc ($2.1 million) payment from FIFA the Gulf Arab country’s football association. The vote. Critics say they are heavily influenced by global sport and a member of FIFA’s executive to Platini. Both men have denied wrongdoing. electoral committee said it had “assessed any the continental confederations, such as Europe’s committee, said he hoped there would be “coor- FIFA’s electoral committee said on Thursday the allegations against the candidates carefully, UEFA or ’s CAF, which sometimes ask their dination” between Infantino and Sheikh Salman five approved presidential candidates were including those against Sheikh Salman concern- members to vote as a bloc for one candidate. if Platini was unable to run. Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, Asian Football ing his alleged involvement into the events in But as voting is secret, FAs can easily disobey Champagne has alleged that already in this Confederation President Sheikh Salman Bin Bahrain in 2011”. It said no evidence of “any per- their confederations without being detected, election “there is a pre-campaign of arrange- Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, former FIFA official sonal and direct involvement” by Salman in which makes voting unpredictable. Infantino ments in five-star hotels behind closed doors”. Jerome Champagne of France, UEFA General rights abuses had been found, so the committee announced his intention to stand only one day He was alluding to alleged back-room deals in Secretary Gianni Infantino of Switzerland and had upheld his candidacy. before the registration deadline in October, and which certain candidates do not run against each businessman Tokyo Sexwale. There are no clear favorites to win the elec- is expected to withdraw if Platini is allowed back other and one then drops out to clear the way “The integrity check included a review of cor- tion, in which each of the 209 national associa- into the race. Last month, Sheikh Ahmad Al- for the other to win. — Reuters porate records, litigation cases, bankruptcy pro- ceedings, potential regulatory actions taken against the candidate and a review of media Chelsea ‘won’t’ sack Mourinho reports concerning potential red flags (fraudu- lent behavior, match manipulation, human rights LONDON: Former Chelsea manager Carlo ing his departure from Real Madrid at the appointment of Jurgen Klopp, but said that violations, etc.),” the committee said in a state- Ancelotti has declared that he would have end of last season, but although he is open he would like to work in England again if the ment. Bility was not admitted “in view of the con- “no problem” returning to Stamford Bridge, to the idea of a return to Chelsea, he does right opportunity arises. “I would like to tent of the integrity check report relating to but he does not believe that the club will not believe there will be a vacancy any time come back to work in England,” he said. “I him”, it said. “For reasons of protection of per- sack Jose Mourinho. Mourinho is under pres- soon. “I would have no problem with love the football here, I still have a house in sonality rights, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee - sure after a catastrophic start to the season Chelsea,” he told Thursday’s edition of the London and I would like to be with a team while it has explained its considerations in detail and Ancelotti has been linked with a return Daily Mail. “But Jose won’t be sacked. They that is competitive in England and in Europe. to Musa Hassan Bility - will not comment publicly to the club he led to a Premier League and already chose to keep him, and I think they “I think Liverpool are a good team ... I think on the specifics of its decision.” FA Cup double in 2010 before being dis- made a good choice.” they can be really competitive. But I did not Salman has dismissed as “false, nasty lies” missed a year later. Ancelotti dismissed reports that he had speak with them. If I spoke with them I can allegations that he was involved in human rights The Italian is currently out of work follow- been approached by Liverpool prior to their say ‘Yes’, but no, I did not.” — AFP abuses against pro-democracy activists during a